Tenant Handbook

Thank you for choosing to rent a property through us. We are a Boise property management company that leases and cares for rental homes for a wide variety of property owners. The following information will be useful to you during the time you reside in one of our properties. You may also reference your lease agreement for all of this information and more.

Issuance of Keys

Keys to your property will be issued on the day before you are entitled to occupancy during our normal business hours. If the day you are entitled to occupancy falls on a Sunday or holiday, we will issue keys on the last business day before you are entitled to occupancy. All deposits and rent due must be paid prior to issuance of keys. You must also have changed all required utilities into your name and completed the Utilities page to receive your keys. If you require keys to be issued at a time other than that outlined above, a lock box containing keys to the property can be placed at the property. The fee for placing a lock box is $50.00, of which $25.00 is refundable upon return of the lock box to our office. All deposits and rent due must be received in our office prior to providing you with the lock box combination. You must contact our office during normal working hours to obtain the lock box combination.

Moving In

We have made every effort to have your home in good condition for your arrival. At the time you signed your rental agreement, you were provided with a Move-In Inspection form. One of our staff will help you inspect the property and complete the form. You must see that this form is completed and returned to our office within three days following the signing of your rental agreement. The Move-In Inspection form is for your protection. You should list any pre-existing damage or deficiency in the property. We will utilize this form when we conduct the move-out inspection when you vacate the property. It is therefore in your best interest to see that the form is carefully completed. Should you believe it necessary, you are welcome to provide photos or other documentation.

Payment of Rent

In almost all cases, your rent will be due by the first day of each month in our office. Rent is paid based on receipt in our office, not postmarked date. For your convenience, we offer the service of debiting your bank account on the first of the month for the rent amount. Please contact us via phone or email to setup automatic and online payments by checking or credit card. These services guarantee that your rent will be timely paid and you will not be charged a late fee due to a post-office delivery delay or a lost check.

Late Fee Policy

Rent is due by the 1st, considered late on the 2nd, and late fees are levied at 5:00PM on the 5th day of the month. Our standard late fee is $50, plus $5 per day until the resident’s account is paid in full. WE DO NOT WAIVE LATE FEES. Your rental agreement states that rent, late charges, and other legitimate charges will be posted to the resident account. Payments received are applied to the oldest outstanding charge first. If there is an outstanding charge on your account when your rent is due, payments will be applied toward the outstanding charges first and then toward the current rent charge. If the payment is not sufficient to cover past due charges as well as the current rent charge, your current rent will be short. If the rent is short you will incur a late charge. To avoid late charges be sure to pay all rent on time and any charges posted on your account by the time your current rent is due.

Returned Checks

Your rental agreement states the amount you will be charged for each returned check. Our current fee is $35.00 for each check returned. You will be charged this fee even if the check clears upon re-submission to the bank. In addition, if the returned check is for payment of rent, you will be charged late fees through the date the check clears the bank on re-submission or until you provide certified funds to pay for the returned check. Depending upon the date the check is returned, you also may receive a three-day notice of non-compliance with your rental agreement and be assessed late fees. The charge of $25.00 for posting this notice will also be charged to you.

Deposits

When you signed your rental agreement, you gave us a deposit to cover any potential damage to the property, cost of cleaning at the end of your residency, or unpaid rent. YOUR DEPOSIT MAY NOT BE USED AS YOUR LAST MONTHS RENT.

Approximately two weeks prior to your scheduled move-out date, you will receive a letter from our office that outlines your responsibilities regarding the move-out. Generally, we want to receive the property clean, and in substantially the same condition as on your move in, normal wear and tear excepted. We do require that all carpets be professionally cleaned using a truck mounted, steam process. We will arrange for a carpet cleaning vendor to clean all carpets and test for pet urine upon vacancy at the expense of the resident. Receipts for carpet cleaning services arranged by resident will not be honored.

Utility Services

Residents must have changed all required utilities into their name and completed the Utilities worksheet before they will be given keys.

Telephone Service

Qwest, CableOne, and Clearwire are the main telephone service providers for the local area, but others can also provide service. You can choose your provider, and you are encouraged to compare service and rates and make your own decision. It typically takes a few days to arrange for phone service. Should you require additional telephone lines or phone jacks, it is your responsibility to pay for any changes made and attain authorization to make such changes.

Maintenance

Maintenance and repairs are generally the items of most concern to our residents. For maintenance problems, please login and submit a maintenance request or call us.

Minor maintenance issues should be reported to the property manager assigned to your property. It may take as long as two weeks to complete minor repairs although typically we can address many issues within three days. As property managers, we are required to get permission from the property owner prior to undertaking many repairs.

You will be billed for a service call under the following circumstances:

• You scheduled a service call appointment and failed to be present at the scheduled time.
• You requested service for a non-existent problem.  This includes re-setting a breaker or Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) to restore electrical power and re-setting a breaker on a garbage disposal.
• The problem was caused by improper use of the provided facilities. The classic case is the child who flushes a toy or other item and which results in a clogged sewer line.

Specific Maintenance Issues

Please pay particular attention to the following maintenance items:

• Washing machine hoses.  Should a washing machine hose break on a washing machine provided by you, you will be responsible for the cost of returning the property to good condition.  Washing machine hoses are not designed for constant pressure.  Water to the washing machine should be turned off at the wall between uses.
• Broken pipes due to inadequate heat during winter months.  You must make sure the heat is left on with a thermostat setting of at least 50 degrees.  Damage caused by broken pipes due to inadequate heat or the power turned off is the responsibility of the Tenant.